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Much of Oregon's wine country sits to the west--"the wet side''--of the Cascade foothills, starting southwest of Portland and moving north. But as tastes change, viticulturists have established wineries in cooler or drier climes. Columbia Gorge wines, for instance, have become very popular. This has spread out Oregon's wine country to include five valleys--Rogue, Umpqua, north and south Willamette, and Columbia. If you'd like to cycle through wine country, choose a region or two and consider joining a cycling tour group, which will map out the best roads and sights.

Willamette Valley

The Willamette Valley is 100 miles long and 60 miles wide, and home to about 400 Oregon wineries. Bordered by the Columbia River to the north, the Calapooya Mountains to the south, and nestled between the Cascade foothills and the Coast Range, it is the coolest of the Oregon wine regions. Because it is so big, it is broken down into north and south Willamette. Oregon's first scenic bikeway, a 130-mile route from Champoeg to Eugene, cuts right through the valley and its highly diverse agricultural regions. Lifecycle Adventures offers self-guided, scheduled group and private, small-group tours of the valley.

Columbia Valley

The Columbia River Gorge wine area provides some stunning scenery and the perfect conditions for growing pinot noir and chardonnay. The climate and soil are similar to Germany's wine-growing regions, as well as France's Rhone and Italy's Piedmont regions. Sojourn Bicycling and Active Vacations offers six-day trips through this patchwork of orchards, vineyards and farms between majestic Mt. Hood and the Columbia River.

Umpqua Valley

The Umpqua Valley is a fairytale landscape of rolling hills and dales, creeks and ridges, as well as the scenic Umpqua River. It is ideal for cycling, and Umpqua wineries boast about their pinot noirs and other memorable reds. Cog Wild Bicycle Tours offers a fast, fun single-track North Umpqua River Trail tour. The ride takes you downstream along the North Fork of the Umpqua River. The tour includes camping along the river, great swimming holes and a natural hot spring. Cog Wild covers all the basics--food, beer, tour essentials. Mother Nature provides the backdrop.

Rogue Valley

The Rogue Valley is the southernmost portion of Oregon's wine country. The drier, milder weather here is conducive to cycling in all seasons. Siskiyou Velo, a southern Oregon bicycling club, rates the 45-mile ride to Applegate Lake and back as one of the nicest rides to open the cycling season in the spring. This lovely ride generally starts in Jacksonville, climbing for roughly two miles and 500 feet and then dropping into the pastoral Applegate Valley. The usual turnaround point is at the top of the dam. The cycling club lists two other great rides in the Rogue Valley, the 38-mile Brownsboro Loop and the 50 to 72 miles Butte Falls Prospect.

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About the Author

Jean Mann has been a writer and editor for more than 30 years. She enjoys writing travel, medical, health and how-to articles for various publishers. Mann is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and English.